Fluid pressure operated adjustment and release for gyratory crushers and the like



Aug. 13, 1968 R. H. KEMNITZ ETAL 3,396,916

FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED ADJUSTMENT AND RELEASE FOR GYRATORY CRUSHERS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 28, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WQ-tcXMMi Bz 5423142 Q2 Quin/170k Aug. 13, 1968 FLUID' PRESSUR Filed Oct. 28, 1966 R. H. E OPER KEMNITZ ET ATED ADJUSTMENT AND RELEASE FOR GYRATORY CRUSHERS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J XW M United States Patent 3,396,916 FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED ADJUSTMENT AND RELEASE FOR GYRATORY CRUSHERS AND THE LIKE Robert H. Kemnitz, Milwaukee, and Heinz W. Winter,

Wauwatosa, Wis., assignors to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

Filed Oct. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 590,399 7 Claims. (Cl. 241-290) This invention relates to crushers of the type in which a cone-shaped head rotates or gyrates within an annular bowl to crush material in a chamber defined between the head and the surrounding bowl. In particular, this invention relates to a gyratory crusher having an adjusting mechanism for changing the size of the opening between the head and bowl or adjusting the relative position of the head and bowl to compensate for wear to the crushing surfaces, and a release mechanism for causing the bowl and cone to move apart and pass uncrushable material without damage to the cone or bowl.

US. Patents Nos. 2,349,790; 2,448,936 and 2,579,516 disclose an approach to designing crushers of the type referred to, that involve a hydraulic pressure actuated piston beneath the head. The piston operates to raise and lower the head within a bowl mounted in a fixed position. There are, however, installations Where it is undesirable or inconvenient to locate such a piston beneath the head for raising or lowering the head and therefore, an alternative approach is to provide for raising and lowering the bowl about a cone supported in fixed vertical position. US. Patents Nos. 2,680,571; 2,791,383; 3,038,670 and others show how a plurality of cylinders containing fluid actuated pistons can be arranged around the circumference of the bowl for raising and lowering a bowl about a centrally located cone. A plurality of piston and cylinder assemblies arranged according to the teachings of the prior art resulted in the cone being movable vertically but being held against rotation in a horizontal plane. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a crusher having a cone-shaped head movable within a bowl, with a new and improved fluid pressure operated adjusting and release mechanism for raising and lowering the bowl about the head, that provides for allowing the bowl to also rotate in a horizontal plane while crushing material between opposing surfaces of the bowl and cone, and thus provide for even wear on these opposing crushing surfaces when there is an uneven distribution of feed material to the crushing chamber.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gyratory crusher with -a new and improved fluid pressure operated adjusting and release mechanism in which a single piston within a single chamber raises or lowers a bowl about a cone shaped head.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a gyratory crusher with a new and improved fluid pressure operated adjusting and release mechanism for raising and lowering the bowl about the head with the bowl being provided support to prevent the bowl from tipping relative to the head as the bowl moves up and down.

A gyratory crusher, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is provided with a top shell assembly having an annular bowl with an outer cylin-.

drical surface and a replaceable annular bowl liner suspended within the bowl, to coact with a cone shaped head to define an annular crushing chamber. An annular piston projects radially outward, in a horizontal plane, from the outer cylindrical surface of the bowl and presents a radially outer cylindrical piston wall surface. A collar is A mounted in a fixed position on the crusher frame with three cylindrical surfaces facing radially inward. A first and second of these collar surfaces slidably engage the outer cylindrical surface of the bowl respectively above and below the annular piston. A third of these three collar surfaces, between and having greater diameter than the first and second of these surfaces, slidably engages the radially outer cylindrical surface of the annular piston. Thus, the three radially inward facing surfaces of the collar engage the outward facing surfaces of the bowl and piston to define an annular expansible and contractable chamber above and below the annular piston. The collar assembly defines an internal passage to the upper expansible and contracta'ble chamber and another passage to the lower chamber, for delivering and venting fluid pressure to and from each chamber. The pressures in the upper and lower expansible and contractable chambers can thus be adjusted to move the annular piston, the connected bowl and suspended bowl liner, to adjust the open ing of the crushing chamber. Likewise, an excessive pressure build up in the upper expansible chamber, as occurs when an uncrushable object becomes jammed in the crushing chamber, can be relieved and the piston, bowl and liner will move upwardly for the uncrushable object to pass through the crushing chamber.

Other objects and how they are attained will appear from the following description with references to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a crusher according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view taken as indicated by line II-II in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a main frame assembly 10 having a drive housing portion 11 and a cylindrical hub portion 12 extending vertically therefrom at a right angle to the drive housing 11. An annular vertical wall structure 13, having a horizontal surface 14 at the top thereof, is concentrically disposed around the cylindrical hub 12 and rigidly secured to the drive housing 11. A pair of concentric members 15, 16 with the outer member 15 is mounted in a fixed position on the surface 14 of the wall structure 13, and the inner member 16 is supported by the outer member 15 for vertical movement and rotation about'the hub 12, in a manner and for a purpose that will be described after certain other components of the machine of FIG. 1 are identified and described.

The inner member 16 comprises an annular bowl 17 with an inner replaceable bowl liner 18 suspended from an inwardly projecting bowl flange 19 by a plurality of bolts 20, one of which is shown in FIG. 1. The radially inner edge of the flange 19 is supported by a plurality of downwardly extending support arms 21. One of these arms 21 is shown in FIG. 1 and eight of these' arms (in cross section) appear in FIG. 2.

With further reference to FIG. 1 and the assembly of which the aforementioned hub 12 is a part, antifriction roller bearing assemblies 25, 26 and 27 encircle the hub 12 to support an eccentric drive shaft 30 that encircles hub 12. A second group of antifriction roller bearing assemblies 31, 32 encircle eccentric shaft 30 and support a head assembly 33. The head assembly includes a truncated cone 33a and a replaceable mantle 34 secured on top of cone 33a by a threaded bolt 35 provided on top of the truncated cone 33a to engage a threaded cavity 36 in the underside of mantle 34.

The head assembly 33, and specifically the mantle 34, cooperates with liner 18 of the inner concentric member 16, to define a crushing chamber 37.

A drive mechanism for this machine includes a drive shaft 40 extending through drive housing 11. A pinion gear 41 is mounted on the inner end of shaft 40 and meshes with a ring gear 42 attached to the lower end of the eccentric drive shaft 30. Thus, a source of rotary power (not shown) can act to rotate pinion gear 41 and in turn' 10. A collar 46, defining an annular groove 47, is attached I beneath cone 33a and a dust ring 48 is slidably fitted in the groove 47 and engages wall 45 to keep crushed material and dust away from the drive mechanism and bearings beneath the head assembly 33.

The outer concentric member 15 and cooperating portions of inner concentric member 16. that 'act to support the inner concentric member 16 with its bowl 17 and liner 18 to define crushing chamber 37, will now be described. Bowl 17 has an outer wall definingjan upper cylindrical surface and a lower cylindrical surface 51 of equal diameter. Surfaces 50, 51 are separated by an annular piston 52 projecting horizontally and radially outward from bowl 17 to present a radially outer cylindrical surface 53 of a diameter greater than the diameter of surfaces 50, 51. The outer concentric member 15 is constructed to define a collar around piston 52. Outer con-.

centric member 15 comprises lower collar piece 54 attached to surface 14 of wall structure 13, and an upper co'llar piece 55 attached to collar piece 54. Collar pieces 54, 55 of member 15 present three inwardly facing cylindrical collar surfaces 56, 57, 58. Collar surfaces 56, 57 slidably engage bowl surfaces 50, 51, respectively, and collar surface 58 slidably engages piston surface 53 to define within the collar an upperexpansible and. contract able chamber 59 above piston 52 and a lower expansible and contractable chamber 60 below piston 52. A conduit 61 communicates with chamber 59 and a conduit 62 communicates with chamber. 60 for delivering and venting fluid pressure to the chambers 59, .60.

The bowl surface 50 that extends above collar piece 54 is shielded by a cylindrical sleeve 63 that protects surface 50 and prevents dust entering chamber 59. An annular flange 64 projects horizontally and radially outward of bowl surface 50 at a level space above collar piece 55. Sleeve 63 is flexible and has a horizontal pleated periphery providing for expanding and compressing the axial length of the sleeve. The top of sleeve 63 is attached to the underside of flange 64 by screws 65 and the bottom of sleeve 63 is held in slidable contact with the top of collar piece 55 by an annular lip defining piece 66 attached to the top of collar piece 55. Dust is prevented from entering chamber 60 below piston 52 by an annular sealing and bearing assembly 67 which is supported by wall structure 13 to slidably engage the outer circumference of bowl 17. The sealing assembly 67 includes a bearing 68 and a sleeve 69 (which may be similar to sleeve 63) arranged beneath a flange 70 that also holds bearing 68. Sleeve 69 may be secured to the underside of flange 70 and slidably engage the lower portion of bowl 17.

According to the described invention, crushing chamber 37 can be adjusted to change product size, or adjustments made to compensate for wear on surface bowl liner 18 and mantle 34 to maintain desired product size, by adjusting fluid pressure admitted to conduits 61, 62 from a source not shown. That is, if it is desired that the crusher crush material to a smaller size or to compensate for wear, the pressure to conduit 62 is reduced and the pressure to conduit 61 increased. Adjusting the crusher to produce larger size pieces, of course, requires the opposite changes in fluid pressure. Further, when uncrushable material enters chamber 37 a sharp increase in pressure in chamber 59 will occur that can initiate pressure releasing action that will permit bowl 17 to raise and permit uncrusha'ble material to pass through without damage to the criisherJFluid pressure delivery and control systems suitable for such purposes are known to those skilled in the art and are presently supplied with crushers of the general type shown in US. Patents Nos. 2,349,790; 2,448,936.2md 2,579,516.

Jfhus; it has been. shown how a crusher according to the presentdnvention 'utilizes'a single annular piston 52 to move bowl 17 and bowl liner 18 up and down. Since this actionis achieved with a single annular piston, the bowl and bowl liner are free to rotate about the mantle and achieve even wear on the liner 18 and mantle 34. Contact between the movable bowl 17 and the stationary collar pieces 54, 55 involves the engagement of two pairs of vertically spaced-annular bearing surfaces, i.e., surface 50 with surface 56 and bearing 68 with the lower portion of'bowl 17 and therefore, the bowl 17 moves up and down with reduce tendency to tilt.

. It, therefore, has been "shown how the objects of the present invention have been attained in a preferred manner. However, modifications and equivalents of the disclosed concepts such as readily occur to those skilled in the art are intended to be included in the scope of this invention. Thus, the scope of this invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the claims such as are, or may hereafter be, appended hereto.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A crusher comprising: a main frame including vertical wall structure enclosing a central space; a cone shaped head supported by said frame and projecting upwardly within said central space; a pair of concentric members with the outer membersupported by said frame in fixed position and the inner member being supported by said outer member for vertical movement and rotation about a central vertical axis; and inner member comprising an annular bowl arranged about said head and cooperating therewith to define a crushing chamber therebetween, said outer member comprising an annular collar around said bowl; one of said concentric members having a wall defining upper'and lower vertical cylindrical surfaces separated by an annular piston projecting horizontally and radially from said surfaces topresent a vertical cylindrical piston surface of a diameter different than said upper and lower cylindrical surfaces; the other of said concentric I members having three vertical cylindrical surfaces facing and slidably engaging with said upper and lower and piston surfaces of the said one of the concentric members to define between said pair of concentric members an upper expansible and contractable chamber above said piston and a lower expansible and contractable chamber below said piston; and a means communicating with each of said expansible chambers for delivering and venting fluid pressure thereto.

2. In a crusher according to claim 1: a flexible cylindrical sleeve having a horizontally pleated periphery providing for expanding and compressing the axial length of said sleeve; a portion of said inner concentric member projecting upwardly from said outer concentric member; and an annular flange projecting horizontally and radially outward from the inner concentric member at a level spaced vertically above the outer concentric member, said sleeve being arranged about said inner concentric member between said flange and said outer concentric member and in contact with said flange and said outer concentric member in all vertical positions of said inner concentric member relative to said outer concentric member and said frame.

3. In a crusher according to claim 2: a top portion of said sleeve being removably secured to said flange and means attached to said outer concentric member and slida bly engaging a bottom portion of said sleeve to enclose the space between said flange and said outer concentric member as said inner concentric member moves up and down and turns about its central axis relative to said spacially fixed outer concentric member and said frame.

4. A crusher comprising: a main frame including vertical wall structure enclosing a central space; a cone shaped head supported by said frame and projecting upwardly within said central space; an annular bowl arranged about said head and cooperating therewith to define a crushing chamber therebetween, said bowl having an outer wall defining an upper and lower cylindrical surface of equal diameter, said upper and lower surfaces being separated by an annular piston projecting horizontally and radially outward from said bowl to present a radially outer cylindrical surface of a diameter greater than said upper and lower cylindrical surfaces; a collar mounted in a fixed position on said crusher frame and having three cylindrical surfaces facing radially inward, a first and second of said collar surfaces slidably engaging with said upper and lower outer bowl surfaces and the third of said collar surfaces slidably engaging with said outer surface of said annular piston to define an upper expansible and contractable chamber within said collar above said piston and a lower expansible and contractable chamber within said collar below said piston; and a means communicating with each of said expansible chambers for delivering and venting fluid pressure to move said piston within said collar and thereby raise and lower said bowl about said head.

5. In a crusher according to claim 4: a flexible cylindrical sleeve having a horizontally pleated periphery providing for expanding and compressing the axial length of said sleeve; and an annular flange projecting horizontally and radially outward from said bowl at a level spaced vertically above said piston and said collar, said sleeve being arranged about said bowl between said flange and said collar and in contact with said flange and said collar in all vertical positions of said bowl relative to said collar and said frame.

6. In a crusher according to claim 5: a top portion of said sleeve being remova-bly secured to said bowl flange and means attached to said collar and slidably engaging a bottom portion of said sleeve to enclose the space between said bowl flange and said collar as said bowl moves up and down and turns about its central axis relative to said collar and said frame.

7. In a crusher according to claim 1: a flexible cylindrical sleeve having a horizontally pleated periphery providing for expanding and compressing the axial length of said sleeve; a portion of said inner concentric member projecting downwardly from said outer concentric member; and an annular flange projecting :horizontally and radially inward from the wall structure concentric at a level spaced vertically below the outer concentric member, said sleeve being arranged about said inner concentric member with the bottom end of said sleeve slidably connected to an adjacent portion of said inner concentric member and the top end of said sleeve connected to the underside of said flange in all vertical positions of said inner concentric member relative to said outer concentric member and said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,680,571 6/ 1954 Bjar-me 241----290 2,791,383 5/1957 Kjelgaard 241290 2,925,959 2/1960 Werner 241290 X 3,337,143 8/1967 Johnson 241-290 X WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CRUSHER COMPRISING: A MAIN FRAME INCLUDING VERTICAL WALL STRUCTURE ENCLOSING A CENTRAL SPACE; A CONE SHAPED HEAD SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME AND PROJECTING UPWARDLY WITHIN SAID CENTRAL SPACE; A PAIR OF CONCENTRIC MEMBERS WITH THE OUTER MEMBER SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME IN FIXED POSITION AND THE INNER MEMBER BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID OUTER MEMBER FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT AND ROTATION ABOUT A CENTRAL VERTICAL AXIS; AND INNER MEMBER COMPRISING AN ANNULAR BOWL ARRANGED ABOUT SAID HEAD AND COOPERATING THEREWITH TO DEFINE A CRUSHING CHAMBER THEREBETWEEN, SAID OUTER MEMBER COMPRISING AN ANNULAR COLLAR AROUND SAID BOWL; ONE OF SAID CONCENTRIC MEMBERS HAVING A WALL DEFINING UPPER AND LOWER VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL SURFACES SEPARATED BY AN ANNULAR PISTON PROJECTING HORIZONTALLY AND RADIALLY FROM SAID SURFACES TO PRESENT A VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL PISTON SURFACE OF A DIAMETER DIFFERENT THAN SAID UPPER AND LOWER CYLINDRICAL SURFACES; THE OTHER OF SAID CONCENTRIC MEMBERS HAVING THREE VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL SURFACES FACING AND SLIDABLY ENGAGING WITH SAID UPPER AND LOWER AND PISTON SURFACES OF THE SAID ONE OF THE CONCENTRIC MEMBERS TO DEFINE BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF CONCENTRIC MEMBERS AN 